For most of us, Ecuador is a small South American country with a population of about 18 million people.  Lately, Ecuador has been in the news because of the Coronavirus.   

This is from Lucy Ann Gray and the Independent:  

Ecuador has nearly 4,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19, with most of the country’s deaths located in the Guayas province. 

With an exhausted healthcare system, people are dying outside of hospitals in their homes -- both from coronavirus and other conditions -- forcing families, neighbours and friends in this crowded city to leave bodies on the streets.

We have a family friend who lives in Quito.  She goes back and forth between Ecuador and the U.S. since her husband passed away a few years ago.

Our friend confirms everything in this article, from the Guayaquil city officials distributing cardboard coffins to temporary morgues.  

Add to all of this the state of Venezuelan migrants.  They fled their homeland and now have to fight with locals for health care.

The real question is this:   Is Ecuador a sign of things to come in other Latin American countries?   

We don't know for sure but they are not testing enough people in Latin America.  In other words, no one really knows who has the virus or does not.   

There are lots of poverty clusters all over the continent where people live and work next to each other.  

Let's pray that Ecuador is an exception -- but don't bet on it.

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